Combination gas-tank cap and feed supply lock



May 19, 1931. I 5, GREER 1,805,868

COMBINATION GAS TANK CAP AND FEED SUPPLY LOCK Filed Feb. 10, 1930 INVENTOR if. I 'iS-G eer- BY Q .LLQAI.

ATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1931 UNEED STES TONY S. GREEK, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA COMBINATION GAS-TANK CAP AND FEED SUPPLY LOCK 7 Application filed February 10, 1930. Serial No. 427,134.

This invention relates to locking devices for the gas tanks of automobiles, and particularly represents a looking or safeguarding feature for the gas supply in the tank in adoition to a cap lock structure of the same general character as is shown in my Patent No. 1,716,724, dated June 11, 1929. This device may also supplement the ordinary ignition circuit lock which is easy to circumvent by anyone having a knowledge of electricity without affecting the look, so that the latter forms a dubious protection against theft.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device by means of which not only may the tank cap be locked against removal but the supply pipe leading from said tank to the vacuum tank or the pump may be shut off at the option of the owner; and in addition this shut-off'feature will take place automatically whenever the cap is re moved. Not only therefore is an unauthorized person prevented from removing the tank cap, so that if he stole the car he could not fill the tank with fuel; but if he attempted to run it he could only travel as far as the supply of fuel present at the time in the time in the vacuum tank would permit, regardless of how much fuel there was in the main tank. This is because, as above stated, the main supply pipe from the tank to the vacuum tank is automatically shut off if thefowner has properly set the lock prior to leaving the car. Even if a person should break off the cap in some way so as to enable fuel to be placed in the tank he still could not run the car any distance, since thefuel supply pipe is then automatically closed and it is not an easy matter to cause the same to remain open with out the use of the proper cap. I therefore feel that the unauthorized use of cars, stolen on the spur of the moment and by which hold-up men and the like are now frequently able to get away, will be considerably lessened; and the chances of such personsbeing captured will be greater owing to their inability to travel any distance before the available fuel supply is exhausted and the car must be abandoned.

A further object of theinvention is to produce a simple and inexpensive deviceand yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a persual of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a gas tank showing my improved cap lock and fuel supply closing device, the latter being in its open position or when it is desired to operate the car. r v I Fig. 2 is a similar view showing said device in its pipe closing position.

Fig. 8 is an enlargedside elevation of the tank cap and lock in connection with the means for holding the pipe closure in its open position. 0

Fig. 4c is a similar view showing said means retracted so as to allow the pipe closure to 7 move to its closing position. v

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a gas tank of the usual character having a filler tube 2 projecting upwardly from the same toward one end. Rigidly secured to and depending inside this tube is an inner tube 3, of relativelyheavy material and formed toward its upper end with aninwardly projectingledge 4 to form a seat for the opposed lock tongues 5 which project radially from the cylindrical barrel (5 5 of a lock of standard type. This arrangement would be used when the device is applied to a car already in use, but if built into the car at the factory said ledge would probably be formed with the filler tube itself.

a short distance.

The barrel 6 is rigidly secured to and depends from the cap 7 which overhangs the top of the tube, a resilient gasket 8 being mounted in the cap to bear against the top of the sleeve, said gasket being compressed slightly when the tongues are engaged with the ledge 4 so as to prevent any possibility of the cap rattling.

The fuel feed pipe 9, which leads from the tank 1 to the vacuum tank or pump of the car is located toward the opposite end of the tank from the tiller tube. The end of this pipe inside the tank terminates in an upwardly facing bend 10, which is open on top and is close to the bottom of the tank. Pivoted intermediate its ends on an ear E fixed in the bottom of the tank intermediate its ends is a lever 11, which extends lengthwise of the tank. One end of this lever has a cap or pad 12 thereon adapted to serve as a closure for the open end of the pipe bend 10. The opposite end of the lever projects up nearly to the top of the tank and has a preferably rounded head 13 on said end disposed in vertical alinement with the tube 3. The weight of the capper portion of the lever is greater than that of the other so that said cap tends to rest on and close the pipe.

Secured to and depending from tl e bottom plate '6aof the lock barrel is a sleeve 1% in which a bolt or plunger 15 is slidably mounted. This bolt has an operating knob 16 projecting radially from the same toward its upper end and which works in a longitudinal slot 17 in said sleeve; said slot having lateral branches 18 at both ends. The bolt and head 13 are so disposed relative to each other that when the bolt is retracted upwardly in the sleeve and the knob is engaged with the upper slot lateral, the cap 12 will be engaged with the pipe and will close the same, the head 13 being then clear of the bolt lVhen however the bolt is lowered and the knob is seated in the bottom slot-lateral, the said head is engaged and depressed sui'liciently to more the cap 12 well clear of the pipe, so as to permit of an unobstructed flow of the fuel therethrough.

\Vhen the tank cap and associated parts are removed the pipe will of course be closed, since there is nothing to hold the head 13 depressed. WVithout the proper cap it is hard to keep the head depressed except with the use of a manually held member, on account of the rounded form of the head, which would be held'closed or left open, upon his removing the tank cap, usting the plunger, and replacing the cap.

This operation may be very quickly accom plished and provides an additional safeguard against the possibility of the car if stolen, being driven away any great distance.

To avoid the possibility of the cap being pried or the tube being sawed through the cap arojects but slightly above the metal apron or hood 19 which usually covers the top of the tank in spaced relation thereto and which extends the full distance between the side flares of the car.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a tank having an outlet pipe leadingtherefrom, a filler tube thereon, and a cap for the tube; a closure for the tank end of the pipe, means between the cap and closure for selectively holding the latter in or out of closing relation with the pipe when the cap is in place on the tube, and means incorporated with said last named means to cause the closure to function to close the pipe whenever the cap is removed.

2. In combination with a tank having an outlet pipe leading therefrom, a filler tube thereon and a cap for the tube; a closure for the tank end of the pipe, a vertically adjustable bolt depending from the cap, and means between said bolt and closure for holding the latter clear of the pipe as long as the bolt is extended relative to the cap and the latter is in position on the tube.

3. A structure as in claim 2, with means slidably guiding the bolt relative to the cap, and means between the bolt and said guide means for selectively holding the bolt at either end of' its limit of movement in the guide means.

4-. In combination with a tank having an outlet pipe leading therefrom, a filler tube thereon and a cap for the tube; a closure for the tank end of the pipe, a vertically adjustable bolt'depending from the cap, a lever in the tank on one end of which the closure is fixed, means pivoting the lever intermediate its ends in the tank, and a member on the end of the lever opposite the closure positioned to be engaged and depressed by the bolt when extended; the closure being disposed relative to the pipe so as to be then clear of the latter.

5. A structure as in claim 4, in which the lever is so arranged that the closure will automatically engage and'close the pipe when'the bolt is withdrawn from engagement with the member on the lever. I

6. In combination with a tank having an outlet pipe leading therefrom, a filler tube thereon and a cap for the tube 'a closure for the tank end of the pipe, a lever in the tank on one end of which the closure is fixed, means pivoting the lever intermediate its ends in the tank, and means mounted in connection with the cap for selective engagement with the end of the lever opposite the closure to enable the closure to engage or be held clear of the pipe at will.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

TONY S. GREER. 

